Cherokee Zoning Requests Are Down

Reprinted from the Cherokee Tribune

Rezoning requests in Cherokee County continue to lag behind last year's pace as the housing market remains slow.There are five cases on the agenda for the Cherokee County Planning Commission meeting in October, while at this time last year cases already were booked into November.The commission will next meet at 7 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Justice Center in downtown Canton.Planning commission Chairman Bob Whitaker said bad economic news has been a factor."Subprime lending is creating headaches for mortgage companies and they are tightening up their standards, so not as many people are qualifying. When there is bad economic news, people worry and don't spend money," he said. "That in turn affects the people building the houses."County Commissioner Jim Hubbard said the housing market slowdown has led to the downturn in residential rezoning requests."There is still a very good supply of new and secondary houses on the market," he said.Hubbard said he thinks the rezoning rate eventually will ramp back up, but not anytime soon."I don't see it recovering in six months. Maybe in another year to a year and a half it will be on an upswing," he said, adding the slowdown allows local governments more time to make infrastructure improvements. "Hopefully, we will be ready then."The planning commission is scheduled to hear four rezoning requests in September, including one for a large age-restricted community.Wayne Clark and Associates has requested 53.44 acres at the intersection of Trickum and Jamerson Roads near Woodstock be rezoned from R-20 single-family residential to a denser residential attached for a 180-house age-restricted neighborhood.Legacy Builders Group has requested 20 acres on Kemp Road near Woodstock Road in southwest Cherokee County be rezoned from R-40 single-family residential to a denser RD-3 single-family residential for a 60-house neighborhood.Land Sellutions has requested 3.5 acres on Owens Store Road near Curtis Road in Macedonia be rezoned from agricultural to R-30 single-family residential for four houses.Green Beginnings has requested 1.73 acres on Highway 20 near Standridge Road in Free Home be rezoned from R-40 single-family residential to general commercial for a retail sales center.Five rezoning requests made Friday's deadline to be heard at the planning commission's Oct. 2 meeting.HLM Partners has requested 67.08 acres on Lower Burris Road near Highway 140 in the Clayton community be rezoned from agricultural to R-40 single-family residential for a 61-house neighborhood.VME Development has requested 10.31 acres at the intersection of Sixes and Ridge Roads in Sixes be rezoned from agricultural to neighborhood and general commercial for unspecified commercial uses.The company also has requested 1.8 acres on Sixes Road near Ridge Road in Sixes be rezoned from agricultural to neighborhood and general commercial for unspecified uses.Jerry Durham has requested 3.28 acres on Cloud Lane near Highway 140 in Hickory Flat be rezoned from R-40 single-family residential and R-80 single-family residential to general commercial for an addition to an existing mini-warehouse.Ricky and Michelle Chandler have requested .47 acres on Terrell Street near Nix Street in Ball Ground be rezoned from R-15 single-family residential to a denser RM-4 multi-family residential for two homes